


brand new

by pinkfen



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Confessions, Crushes, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, busker au, busker donghyuck, songwriter renjun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28033203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkfen/pseuds/pinkfen
Summary: From Christmas Eve until New Year’s Eve, Renjun goes back to watch the same busker every night.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Jung Sungchan/Osaki Shotaro, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 3
Kudos: 96





	brand new

**Author's Note:**

> this is gotchick! :) i created another account bc i wanted to rework a couple of my got7 fics for nct but didn’t want to clog up my ao3 with reworks as i felt that would be nagl lol. this is a rework of a ficlet from my got7 collection titled ‘every night and day, just’ which can be found on my main account. despite being a rework, i felt renhyuck fitted pretty well into it and so hope you get a few minutes of reading pleasure :)

It’s Christmas eve and Renjun is out with his friend Jisung and his boyfriend Chenle, because his family isn’t in town and Jisung had assured him they were just planning to hang out anyway.

Chenle legitimately doesn’t seem to care, but Renjun declines his invitation to join them the next day too, making up something about meeting another friend of his, Sungchan.

"Oh, your cute junior from university?” Jisung asks, looking interested. “How is he?"

Renjun smiles and says _yes, fine_ , looking around for something to change the subject to before Jisung pries further. Like magic, music wafts from nearby, getting louder and clearer as they approach the source.

"Hey, that guy’s pretty good,” Renjun points out, and they both turn to look, attention successfully diverted. It’s not untrue — the busker strumming a guitar and singing his heart out has a strikingly penetrating voice that cuts through the cold night. Renjun stops in his tracks and really listens.

Chenle laughs. “He’d be flattered if he knew you complimented him.” Renjun is kind of known on the indie scene as an up and coming young songwriter to watch out for.

Renjun grimaces in embarrassment and wraps his scarf more snugly around the lower half of his face. Jisung nonchalantly wraps his arms around Chenle’s waist and Renjun grimaces again behind his scarf-shield, moving away discreetly as if to watch the singer closer. For the span of one song, he decides to give his friends privacy.

He ends up a couple of metres away from the singer and his portable mic stand, kind of shy to stand right in front in the audience space. There’s no one else in the audience, actually, though passersby pause in their tracks like Renjun had, visibly transfixed by the husky voice. It seems most people are as abashed as himself to really stop and stare to their heart’s content.

But then a lady in her thirties walks right up and drops a dog-eared note into the guitar case in front of the man, and he breaks into the hugest smile ever. It’s dazzling and everything else disappears for a second, his eyes crinkling. Renjun swallows as the singer bows and leans into his mic to say, “Thank you,” humbly before picking the song back up without missing a beat. A few young girls nearby giggle with each other.

The singer continues singing, seeming undaunted by his audience, or lack thereof. There isn’t much in his guitar case, just a few pennies and even fewer notes of small denominations, and a sign simply stating his Soundcloud username. Renjun has never heard of it, and feels acutely again how big this world is, and how much talent it contains. He sometimes feels so humbled that his own has had the chance to be recognised, in even the slightest way.

The song is coming to an end. Like the song before, it seems to remarkably suit the singer’s voice and style. Renjun realises he could stand there listening for another hour; all night long. There’s no hint of the chilly weather at all in the warm, honeyed tones which are intoxicating like a cozy room he could sink into and lose himself.

But there’s a hand on his shoulder and Jisung is whispering into his ear that Chenle wants to know if he’s hungry.

"Yeah, sure I am,” Renjun replies, starting to turn away. His voice makes the singer look in his direction for the first time, and Renjun stops in his tracks again because the same brilliant smile is being directed at him now, if a little dimmer.

He doesn’t think much of it as the teenage girls who had drifted behind him are now clamouring forward to ask if the busker takes requests, but he smiles back before his view is blocked by the girls and Chenle slings an arm around his and Jisung’s shoulders to lead them away.

The next evening, after he has made a halfhearted attempt to ask Sungchan out and received the expected response that he’s sorry but he’ll be attending a family gathering, Renjun ponders where he should go for dinner. Just because he’s alone doesn’t mean he should be stuck with the reheated meal in the fridge his mother had prepared days ago. It’s still cold outside, but Renjun doesn’t feel like staying in.

The only place he can think of that he’s sure he won’t bump into Jisung and Chenle is the same place they went yesterday. Renjun trudges down the street with his hands in his pockets, getting jostled by couples and families and little kids having the night of their lives.

Then he freezes in his paces, because right there, near the same area they passed through the previous day, he can hear a familiar voice making a cheesy Christmas song sound like velvet.

He looks up, gingerly for some reason, and sees the busker crooning into the mic under fairy lights draped over the trees. There’s a slightly bigger crowd today, and Renjun feels a pang of solidarity with the guy his age who’s surrounded by people, but singing his heart out, alone too. He’s barely able to go out and get dinner without feeling sorry for himself — much less sing to strangers on this day.

Amidst his thoughts, the song has concluded, and the crowd thins after soft applause and a few appreciative tokens tossed into the guitar case. There’s more cash in there today — the busker must have been around since before dark. His voice is somewhat hoarser today, which gives it a studio-like, lo-fi quality.

He suddenly realises that the other man appears to be staring in his direction again. Renjun turns hesitantly, but there isn’t anybody behind him today. The singer poises his pick on the guitar frets and leans forward to say something into the mic before his next song, but Renjun has turned away, heart racing stupidly, hoping he wasn’t recognised. The scarf had been covering half his face yesterday, so maybe. He hopes the busker doesn’t think he’s some sort of weirdo, or worse, a stalker. He walks briskly away in the direction of the convenience store, and ends up getting a microwave meal anyway; but his heart feels oddly warm and full when he lets himself back into his empty, cold house.

Next afternoon, Renjun finds himself in the cafe nearby the same spot, already hearing snatches of song reaching his ears on the wind. He itches to be there already, watching the busker and listening to whatever song he’s singing today, whether or not Renjun knows it.

He’s been trying to justify himself for the past five minutes when Chenle arrives.

"Yo.” He’s frowning, but not unhappily, just trying to figure out why Renjun called him out alone.

"Hey.” Renjun thought about it — Jisung has known him for too long to not suspect something’s up, so Chenle is his best bet.

"I, uh, really liked the food we ate here that day?” He blushes.

Chenle looks at him funny. “The waffles?"

Renjun nods. “Yup."

"Okay…” Chenle makes himself comfortable on the seat opposite, then signals the waiter before going back to eyeing Renjun dubiously. To his credit, he doesn’t ask anything more, though.

He feels like there are ants in his pants the whole time he sits there and watches Chenle scarf down the waffles while barely taking bites of his own. Chenle is in better spirits by the time they finish and walk out, after Renjun pays the bill.

"You were right, the waffles are awesome. My treat, next time."

Renjun’s only half-listening. “So how did you and Jisungie spend Christmas?"

As planned, that starts Chenle on a jabbering monologue which leaves Renjun free to admire the now-familiar face they’re approaching, without appearing like a creepy fan beside Chenle — hopefully.

The weather is wonderful today — clear blue cloudless skies, just the right amount of sunshine. Almost like telepathy, the singer is breathing one of his favourite songs into the mic — Ed Sheeran’s Castle On The Hill. Renjun never imagined he would hear this song performed so intimately, so candidly, live, by such a divine voice — it feels like, for one instant, his life is complete. To boot, the man’s English is great too.

"Are you even listening?” Chenle’s demand interrupts his reverie, thankfully as the song is coming to an end. Renjun almost shushes him, but the singer is already looking over, in their direction, and Renjun wishes the ground would open up spontaneously.

"Hey, isn’t that that guy whose singing you complimented on Christmas eve?"

Now Renjun really wishes he were elsewhere.

There’s no doubt the singer heard Chenle’s exclamation, and Renjun shuffles his feet as surprise flits across his features, followed by obvious pleasure. He can’t really tell from this far but it looks like the guy is blushing too. For once, he’s paused between songs for longer than usual.

"It looks like he wants to talk to you,” Chenle states, putting his thoughts into words, and Renjun panics on the spot. Without thinking, he’s grabbed Chenle’s elbow and is dragging him away, ignoring his protests.

”What’s wrong with you?” Renjun winces under Chenle’s glare later, when they’re a distance away and the busker doesn’t seem to have pursued them. “I know you asked me here just to see him, so why are you running? Is it someone you know?"

Renjun makes a few hasty excuses and leaves before Chenle can extract any confessions out of him.

The next day, Renjun arrives at the scene flanked by Sungchan and his girlfriend Shotaro. Three’s a crowd, he figures, and the singer won’t try and speak to him if he has two buffers including a girl.

He needn’t have worried, because while the singer’s eyes immediately seek him out of the small crowd of onlookers with obvious recognition, he just flashes a small, mysterious smile before shifting his gaze away. Leaving Renjun feeling slightly disappointed and stupid.

Still, he stays on listening at the edge of the crowd, because Shotaro really likes the music and even goes up to the guitar case to leave a tip at the end of the session. Renjun watches the busker bow to her with gentlemanly courtesy, giving her a smile so knee-buckling Sungchan digs an elbow into Renjun’s ribs and whines, “Why did you bring us here, hyung?"

Renjun quickly tows Sungchan away before the singer overhears again, making Shotaro run to catch up with them in confusion.

The next day, Renjun brings his family to the cafe by “coincidence”. Every day, he expects to see that the busker has moved on to a different spot, a new audience. His heart has started skipping a beat when he hears the familiar bass, the understated raw emotion of the voice that has endeared itself to him.

He returns the next and the next and the next, alone. It no longer feels awkward, almost natural to stand there listening for close to an hour, making the briefest of eye contact with the singer occasionally as he moves his eyes over the people gathered. None of them are ever the same, Renjun is pleased to note. He’s the only one who comes back, day after day. He wonders what the busker thinks of this, if he’s flattered as Chenle guessed, or annoyed. He must not find it creepy, at least, since he continues to busk at the same spot.

On the day before the last day of the year, although he has a family gathering, he makes excuses to leave early before rushing breathlessly to the cafe, as if he has a standing appointment. Unspoken but understood, just between them. It’s dumb, and Renjun reminds himself he’s just an overzealous fan. That’s what he’s become.

But that night, he gets so absorbed in his songwriting during the cup of latte he always drinks before heading to listen, that when he looks up, the cafe is closing.

He dashes to the spot, chest tightening in disappointment to find it empty and devoid of any traces the singer had been there today. Checking his watch, he realises how late it is, and starts walking home — the chill biting tonight.

It’s New Year’s Eve. He turns up like clockwork, not expecting anything; expecting everything.

He hears the soul-snatching voice from down the street. The jolt in his heart isn’t new, but it still startles the breath out of him every time.

Today’s the day, something whispers. Today’s the one chance Renjun has to finally speak to him.

The busker stops singing, mid-song, when Renjun steps out of the shadows. Renjun’s throat constricts — this can’t be happening; but the man is shrugging his guitar off his shoulders and placing it on the ground hastily, before briskly striding towards Renjun as if he’s afraid he won’t see Renjun again.

When the other man is standing in front of him, Renjun notices he’s taller than expected. And, like, ruinously handsome. How could he not have noticed before?

He also has the most gorgeous, shy smile draped over his face. He can barely meet Renjun’s eyes, and Renjun feels like he’s on fire.

"You didn’t come yesterday.” The voice he knows so well by now says.

"I —“ Renjun starts, then stops. His voice is squeaky so he clears his throat. “I was writing at that cafe over there and lost track of time,” he blurts apologetically, deciding to throw everything in and be honest.

"Writing?” The guy obviously has no idea who Renjun is, either. Renjun feels his crush swell three sizes bigger.

"Like. Songs.” He can’t help smiling, and watches the foolish smile on his face bloom in response on the singer’s.

"You write songs.” Renjun nods.

The guy covers his mouth, then looks down at the ground. “I was kind of worried,” he admits.

"About… me?"

The other nods.

"I know it was stupid to expect you to keep coming, but I got sad when you didn’t show. Then I worried something might have happened with you.

"Or… that you’d never turn up again."

Renjun can’t believe his ears. Sure, he’d known the guy knew he was supporting him, but he never dreamt his presence had been so important.

"I — I didn’t think you’d care."

The stranger frowns, then admits after a beat, “I didn’t either. But I really wanted —"

Renjun stares at him, and the guy stops mid-sentence. “Wanted what?” he breathes.

"To talk to you.” The hot stranger’s face is definitely reddening now. There’s so much relief and amazement blazing in his eyes, Renjun is at a loss for words.

A countdown is starting nearby. He hadn’t even realised it was already midnight. Around them, people are laughing and hugging and kissing, rejoicing the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one. Renjun feels something shift deep in his heart as the rainbow glow of distant fireworks illuminates the crown of the other man’s hair.

"I…"

"I’m Donghyuck,” the man says, before he can finish his sentence. “I just wanted to tell you — thanks for smiling at me, that first night — Christmas Eve. I’d just gotten my busking license the day before, and I was terrified out of my wits."

"…You saw? But I was wearing a scarf…"

Donghyuck smiles. “I could tell you were smiling. It made me feel much better. And…"

"And?"

Donghyuck hesitates. “I thought you were… really cute,” he confesses, covering his mouth again and looking away.

Renjun takes a deep breath, shaking.

 _I think you’re really cute too_.

That’s what he wants to say.

Instead, what comes out of his mouth is: “I’m Renjun."

It seems to be enough, though, from the way Donghyuck’s entire face lights up. It seems to be — _perfect_.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much if you took the time to read till the end! if you enjoyed, i’d be happy if you dropped a kudos.
> 
> i have one other renhyuck fic posted on my main account titled ‘transit’, so check it out at gotchick @ ao3 if you’re interested hehe
> 
> i actually wrote this fic last december just before the world overturned and reworking it made me feel some kinda way,, i know we’ll all have a better 2021 than 2020 ;3


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